


Perspective Changing

by orphan_account



Category: Come From Away - Sankoff & Hein
Genre: F/M, Falling In Love, POV Multiple
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-25
Updated: 2020-01-25
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:14:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22408534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: The development of Nick and Diane's relationship during their time in and after Gander from a multitude of different perspectives
Relationships: Diane Gray/Nick Marson
Kudos: 9





	Perspective Changing

**Author's Note:**

> This was something I've wanted to write for quite a bit, but I wasn't exactly sure how to go about writing stuff from the perspectives of different characters, so I kept putting it off. Finally just sat myself down during some of the time I wasn't doing all my university work and wrote stuff out. The result is something way longer than expected, as per usual.

_Kevin J_

Kevin had very reluctantly agreed to join his boyfriend on a walk around town. His temptation to snark something along the lines of “go get lost in the woods” had been high, but he’d eventually agreed to walk when one of the locals had told him about a bar on the main street. Numbing his senses with alcohol would be the easiest way to stop thinking about what had happened in New York, to stop thinking about his burning desire to go home.

The walk was supposed to be just he and Kevin, no one else, but to his dismay, they were joined by two other passengers from their plane. There was a Texan woman (who Kevin thought was overly cheerful, given the circumstances) and an Englishman equipped with a disposable camera that he really, _really_ didn’t know how to use.

He knew he was being inhospitable and snarky, but you just really didn’t know how redneck people could be, right?

Making small talk was easy enough, Kevin spoke to the Englishman, Nick, first. He asked him about his employment and Nick explained that he worked for an oil company in England. Kevin scowled, his intuition to dislike this guy had been spot on. As a secretary at his boyfriend Kevin’s environmental company, he quite justifiably, hated people who worked in oil.

Not wanting to make any more conversation with Nick, Kevin turned his attention to the small Texan woman, Diane, by his side. He asked her what she had been doing in London and she seemed happy to chatter anxiously about her vacation with her son. She talked about the landmarks she’d seen, the touring she’d done, and then her blathering shifted in the direction of her son. She kept going on and on about how proud she was of him and his accomplishments and Kevin couldn’t find it in himself to care even one bit.

It was then that something interesting happened. 

Nick turned to Diane, surprise in his expression. “Wait… you’ve got a son?”

Diane laughed, a delighted carefree sound. “Yes. David. The one who was flying on Tuesday,” she said before continuing to babble on and on about her time in London. Kevin found himself minimally sympathetic, maybe talking about her son was the easiest way to take her mind off of everything that was happening. “I didn’t travel much when I was married,” Diane said, “being free to take a vacation now and again is always nice.”

Kevin watched with amusement as Nick abruptly turned back to Diane. “Wait… you’re divorced?” The astonishment in his tone was even more prevalent than before. It was the type of astonishment that one only expressed when their perception of a situation had completely changed. Dare he think it, Nick sounded… excited. 

Diane’s cheerful laughter and response to Nick’s question cut through Kevin’s thoughts, which was almost a relief, he wasn’t at all happy with where they were heading. “Yes. For a long time now.”

Kevin hoped that would be enough to put this conversation behind them, but then his boyfriend turned to Nick. “What about you?”

Kevin scoffed, _typical Kevin, getting in everyone’s business_. 

“No. Not divorced,” Nick answered Kevin before turning around to face Diane, hands folded nervously. “I mean… not that I’m married! I’m neither. I travel a lot for work,” Nick stammered awkwardly. 

It didn’t seem to matter how flustered and awkward he was, Diane seemed almost… charmed. She was smiling into his eyes now and he was smiling back, the look they were sharing much too intimate for such a public setting.

Ugh. Kevin was not enjoying thinking about this, he needed a drink. He hoped they would reach that bar the locals had informed him of.

Luckily, they reached a building that matched the description he’d been given soon enough managing minimal conversation between the four of them. His boyfriend invited Nick and Diane to join them, but to Kevin’s relief, they both declined. Diane commented on having no interest in drinking in the middle of the afternoon with three strangers and Nick seemed to prefer Diane’s company, so with that, they turned and walked off in the opposite direction. 

As Kevin padded into the bar, he hoped that drinking would be enough numb his anxieties and make him forget about this god awful walk.

* * *

_Kevin T_

There seemed to be absolutely no convincing Kevin of anything. 

They were sitting on their shared air mattress in the Gander Academy gymnasium arguing about whether they should go out the night. Kevin wanted to, but his boyfriend did not. It wasn’t that he didn’t think what happened in New York was horrific (it was horrible beyond belief), but he thought it was necessary for his sanity to not spend every waking moment watching the news and thinking about going home. His boyfriend vehemently disagreed and accused him of not caring. His words stung, but Kevin knew he didn’t mean it, tensions were running high and just about everyone was on the edge. 

That was exactly why he believed getting out would be such a good idea.

Kevin turned his attention away from his argument with his boyfriend and his eyes landed on a pair he recognized. It was Nick and Diane, the two who’d joined him and Kevin on their walk the day before. They seemed to be having a similar conversation about heading out the Legion that night. “I’m going if you’re going,” Kevin heard Nick say.

Diane grinned. “Well, I’m going.”

“I’ll buy you a beer then,” Nick replied.

Kevin turned his attention away from Nick and Diane and back to his boyfriend. “If she can convince him, I should be able to convince you.”

It was an absurd argument, one he was unsurprised to see Kevin scoff and roll his eyes toward. But the absurdity was enough to temporarily lighten the mood. “I just want to go out,” Kevin said, knowing the expression on his face was pleading.

“Well, I don’t,” his boyfriend retorted, no longer did he seem angry, just deeply sad. Kevin’s heart ached for him, but perhaps they could make a compromise.

“One drink,” Kevin proposed.

“One drink,” his boyfriend agreed with a resigned sigh.

Kevin glanced back in the direction of Nick and Diane. Diane was chattering about something he couldn’t decipher and Nick was smiling up at her and listening to her as if whatever it was she was saying was the most important thing in the world. It was obvious the two were falling for each other and Kevin couldn’t keep a small smile from spreading across his face.

“What exactly are you smiling about?” his boyfriend asked his tone a combination of amused and slightly accusatory.

“Oh, nothing. Nothing at all.”

* * *

_Claude_

Bringing all the locals and come from aways alike to the Legion had been an excellent idea. There was a certain tension in the air that Claude knew only copious amounts of alcohol could soothe, so he’d been quick to suggest opening up the Legion. 

The bar was bustling and crowded but filled with much more joy and merriment than anyone had experienced over the past few days. Most of the plane people were trying (and failing quite miserably) to learn a Newfoundland jig, but Claude noticed one who was slumped alone in one of the booths.

It was the Englishman, Nick, who seemed to spend every waking (well not just waking, the two had cots next to each other too) moment with the Texan woman, whose name was Diane. _His wife_ , Claude assumed. She, on the other hand, was being twirled across the dance floor by a couple of locals. Claude wondered why he wasn’t the one twirling her around or why he wasn’t up in the center of the bar dancing with her. He turned away from observing the two momentarily and spied a bottle of aged rum. Perhaps there was a way he could get Nick involved in the fun.

He grabbed a microphone from nearby and bellowed into it, “let’s make these people honorary Newfoundlanders!” The locals knew he was proposing a screech in and let out a raucous cheer.

One of the plane people volunteered eagerly, immediately taking a seat in one of the chairs now positioned in the center of the bar. Another, one of the Kevins, tentatively raised his hand and made his way to the center of the bar much to his boyfriend’s disapproval. Claude was delighted when he watched Diane make her way over to Nick and grab his hand, raising it into the air with her own as she pulled him from his seat. “Us!” she cheered. “We want to be Newfoundlanders!”

Claude smiled, he was making progress. “Where you folks from?” he asked as Diane and Nick approached him. 

“Texas,” Diane answered immediately. Claude could also hear Nick stammering an answer to his question, but he assumed that his answer was the same given that the two were married.

He huffed a small laugh and turned to Nick. “Where in Texas you from, buddy?”

Much to his surprise, Nick’s eyes widened in alarm. “No, I’m from—” he began before being cut off by Diane.

“No, I’m from Texas. He’s from England,” she corrected.

 _Now that doesn’t make any sense at all_. Claude had been certain the two were together, but the idea made zero practical sense if they lived an ocean apart. He couldn’t help but ask. “Wait. Now how does that work?”

Nick raised an eyebrow, puzzled. “How does what work?” _Good god_ , Claude thought, _he has no idea what I’m referring to, might as well spell it out for them then_.

“Well, how does your marriage work with you being in England and her in Texas?”

Claude watched Nick and Diane both blush profusely before saying together. “No — we’re not married.”

Claude was baffled, he had been certain that the two were married, they’d spent every second together since they’d arrived. “Oh, I’m sorry — I just assumed you were married,” he apologized. It was then that a mischievous idea popped into his head. They had a party going, the two were obviously interested in each other, and he was a licensed officiant. “Well, would you like to be?”

To his delight, Nick’s eyes were blown wide with shock yet again. Diane, on the other hand, was much more enthusiastic. “Well, why not?!” she answered, slapping her hands playfully against Nick’s chest and cheering before she took her seat in the center of the bar. Nick trailed after her like a lovesick puppy and claimed the remaining chair.

As Claude explained the traditions of the screech in, his eyes continued to land on Nick and Diane. Nick kept resting his hand on the back of Diane’s chair, before abruptly moving it away, as if he wanted to reach out to touch her, but couldn’t quite find the confidence. 

Diane was much more tactile, Claude noticed. He was standing closer to the plane people now, waggling the dead cod that they were expected to kiss, as per tradition, in front of them. He noticed Diane resting her hand on Nick’s knee, his thigh, his chest, tapping his arm as she goaded him into kissing the fish. Claude was certain the only reason the reserved Englishman had agreed to participate in this aspect of the ceremony, in the ceremony at all really, was because of Diane’s encouragement. Claude grinned when the Englishman pecked the fish with the shudder. He then moved to waggle the fish in front of Diane and to his surprise, her response was an immediate, “I can’t do it!”

As Nick’s expression changed to one of mock outrage and he balked at Diane’s utter hypocrisy, Claude had a brilliant idea. Married or not, it was clear the two had romantic feelings for each other, they just needed a small push. And here Claude was being presented with a perfect opportunity to be the catalyst of something between them. 

Diane was still wrinkling her nose and shaking her head, as Claude continued to dangle the cod in front of her. Since she wasn’t budging, now was the perfect time to make his suggestion.

“Alright,” he said, “I’ll make you a deal. Either you kiss this fish,” he waggled the cod in front of her once more, “or else you kiss this Englishman you’re not married to,” he gestured towards Nick. 

To Claude’s amusement, Nick’s eyes widened with the same amount of surprise that he been present when he’d made a faux pas about their presumed marriage, but Diane didn’t hesitate one bit. She wrapped her arms around Nick’s neck and pulled him into a deep kiss right there in the middle of the Legion for everyone to see.

Claude knew he was only one of many who whistled and clapped as the ceremony halted while they kissed, but he felt a special sense of accomplishment at making it happen. 

Hopefully, once they came to their senses and decided to get married, they’d return to Gander and let him officiate the wedding.

* * *

_Beulah_

Beulah was on dishwashing duty when two very drunk plane people stumbled back into Gander Academy. She knew they were returning from the Legion and had certainly taken advantage of the available beer and spirits. She hadn’t gone out that night, she’d sat with Hannah telling stupid jokes while they waited for the phone to ring and when she finally convinced the other woman to sleep, Beulah realized there was a pile of dishes that needed to be washed.

There was a window that looked out from the kitchen into the cafeteria, so as she continued to scrub the dishes, Beulah watched the two passengers collapse onto a couch. They were sitting exceptionally close, the woman’s head resting on the man’s chest, his arms curled protectively around her. The couch was large and spacious, there was no need to sit so closely together, they simply wanted to. Beulah had no intention of listening in on their conversation, but she heard the man’s voice first. His British accent pierced the silence as he addressed the woman who was now in his arms. “Diane, we should get some water and brush our teeth before we try to sleep, we’ll both feel better tomorrow if we do.”

“Always so considerate, Nick,” the woman, Diane, mumbled burrowing deeper into the man’s chest. Even though her voice was quiet, Beulah could identify the Texas twang of her accent.

“You’re going to have to move so I can get up,” Nick replied, his voice gentle. Diane made a whimpering noise as Nick extracted himself from their tentative embrace and stood up. Beulah turned her attention away from the two and filled two glasses of water. She placed them on the window ledge as Nick made his way over. “I assume that’s from the screech?” she asked. Diane was sprawled out on the couch now, fast asleep and snoring softly.

Beulah watched Nick glance back over at Diane, the fondness in his expression undeniable.“The screech and the beer,” Nick corrected, “Diane doesn’t drink much.”

Beulah nodded. “Well, you’re both Honorary Newfoundlanders now, so there’ll be no need to drink the screech again. Unless you want to of course.”

Nick blushed at her comment and Beulah was tempted to press further. She didn’t have to though when Nick responded, “I kissed the fish,” he then pointed back over to the couch where Diane was lying, “she wouldn’t though.”

It was with a startling realization that Beulah realized who exactly she was talking to. The grapevine in Gander worked exceptionally fast, so she’d already heard that during the screech in there had been a woman who’d refused to kiss the fish and had been offered an alternative. “So she kissed you instead,” Beulah finished.

“She did,” Nick replied, the flush on his cheeks deepening.

It wasn’t like her and Beulah knew it was none of her business, but she couldn’t quite help her curiosity. “And did you kiss her back?” she asked, leaning forward, resting her elbows on the ledge, careful not to knock over the water glasses.

Nick swallowed and the motion was almost undetectable, but he nodded his head. He didn’t seem interested in conversation anymore as took both glasses of water and made his way back over to Diane. He leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead and when she didn’t stir, placed a hand on her shoulder to shake her awake. Once she was sitting upright, he handed her a glass, his hand still rested on her arm. “This will help you sober up,” he said gently.

Beulah watched as Diane quickly drowned her water and settled the glass on the floor in front of her. “You don’t have to be so considerate,” Diane mumbled.

“Oh, but I do,” Nick replied a soft smile on his face. He was looking at Diane with a certain adoration, a deep reverence in his eyes.

“So considerate,” Diane murmured again, her hand reaching up to cup his cheek. 

Beulah felt a little guilty eavesdropping and observing what was a very intimate moment, so she tried to turn back to washing dishes. She only had a few mugs remaining at this point. She could still overhear their conversation despite the running water. “You really are a remarkable person, Diane,” Nick said.

Diane let out a small giggle. “Thank you,” she replied, “so are you.”

“No, I mean it,” Nick answered suddenly sounding more sure of himself. “I’m not usually one to go out to pubs, or participate in ceremonies, or kiss fish. In all honesty, I’m not exactly confident in social situations at all, but… you make me want to try. I guess, Diane, what I mean to say is…” 

Beulah overheard Nick take a deep breath as if he was building confidence to admit something big. She knew it wasn’t any of her business, but now she was desperate to hear what he had to say, so she subtly turned off the tap and dried the last of the mugs with a nearby towel.

The cafeteria was filled with silence once again until Nick’s voice broke through as he finished his confession to Diane. “I think I’m falling in love with you,” he said simply.

“Well, that’s lovely.” There was a beat and then she added, “I love you, too.” She let out a yawn. “But I also think I need to sleep,” she admitted.

“Ah... yes, we should make our way to our cots, then,” Nick said.

Beulah overheard their footsteps as they made their way out of the cafeteria, navigating back to the gym where the cots were arranged. Only once they had left did she realize tears were falling from her eyes. There was something so wonderful about two people finding each other and falling in love in such horrific circumstances, it just warmed her heart.

* * *

_Annette_

Annette awoke that morning with a slight hangover, but when she arrived at Gander Academy she found it was only her and half the town who seemed to be affected. She popped an aspirin in her mouth before busying herself preparing bagged lunches for the plane people. The American Airspace had reopened meaning the planes were taking off today. When the lunches were prepared and packed, Annette’s next task was to distribute them to passengers. She didn’t reveal that her true motivation was to hand a lunch bag to Captain Bristol. She wanted the opportunity to talk to him once more, so she could later completely romanticize the experience.

While passing out lunches to various plane people, Annette glanced in the direction of two particular passengers, the two who’d kissed during the screech in ceremony. Nick and Diane, she thought their names were. 

Nick was shaking Diane awake and she awoke with a snort. “You were snoring,” Annette overheard Nick tell her. Even from a distance, Annette could hear the affection in his tone. The romantic in her couldn’t help but swoon, becoming completely distracted from her duties as she observed them. 

She overheard Diane mumble something about having a headache and watched guilt flash across Nick’s expression for a brief second. “You had a couple,” he told her, the affection in his voice blossoming even more.

Annette observed Diane’s expression, her eyes lit up as what she assumed was a memory came back. Maybe she was remembering that she kissed him.

“Did I kiss the fish?”

 _Well, that can’t be good_ , Annette thought. Since she’d been at the screech in, she had seen what had happened with her own two eyes, and Diane had certainly not kissed the fish.

“Don’t you—?” Nick started, before something akin to heartbreak flitted across his expression. He sighed, took a deep breath, and settled for, “yes, you did.”

Annette would have listened in on the rest of their conversation, if not for the gentle tap on her shoulder. She spun around to see Beulah, standing behind her, arms crossed. “Shouldn’t you be handing out those lunches?”

“Sorry, Beulah,” Annette said hastily. “I got a little distracted.” She gestured towards Diane and Nick. Nick was now handing Diane her jacket and when she took it, her eyes lingered on him for a little longer than necessary, as if she was trying to memorize every detail. But that was just Annette being a silly romantic, there couldn’t be that much meaning in such a small interaction could there?

Beulah looked in the direction that Annette was pointing, her gaze landing on the pair. She watched them for a moment before turning back to face Annette. “You know, for once, Annette, your over-romanticized view of the world may be accurate,” Beulah said. 

Annette gave Beulah a quizzical look and raised an eyebrow. “They stumbled in here together after the screech in,” Beulah informed her. “And oh, I don’t know if I should be sharing this, I just so happened to overhear their private conversation, but they both admitted they were falling for each other.”

So she wasn’t imagining it. Annette pumped her fist in the air in momentary elation before she recalled a sobering thought. “Diane doesn’t remember though,” Annette said. “She just asked him if she kissed the fish and he told her she did.” Her eyes lit up at her next thought. “We should tell her the truth.”

Beulah shook her head. “It’s not our place to meddle, if it’s meant to be, they’ll work it out on their own.” There was a brief silence before Beulah spoke again. “Real shame the planes are taking off today, I know they both like walking and Dover Fault is especially pretty this time of year.”

Annette smirked, so much for Beulah not wanting to meddle, she was essentially recommending setting the two up on a romantic walk. 

“You should get back to distributing those lunches. The planes are leaving soon, so we don’t exactly have time to spare,” Beulah said before walking away to tend to another essential job.

Annette sighed, returning to her task. It was through this task, however, that she realized she hadn’t given a bagged lunch to either Nick or Diane. Ignoring the voice in her head warning her not to meddle, she walked over to them with purpose. She passed both a lunch bag and accepted their thanks. “It’s probably not worth mentioning since the planes are taking off today, but I’ve heard you two both like a good walk and Dover Fault is especially beautiful,” she said turning on her heel and walking away before either could respond. 

Maybe, just maybe, her little comment would inspire something.

* * *

_Nick_

It turned out the planes weren’t taking off that day, thanks to one plane with a flat tire blocking the runway. Just when Nick had accepted that he would be saying goodbye to Diane, likely forever, it turned out they weren’t going anywhere. 

He knew his feelings for her were growing more intense with every passing moment and he knew that even with this extra indeterminable amount of time he was running out of opportunities to tell her.

Well, that wasn’t exactly true, he _had_ told her the night before, but it was made clear she didn’t remember any of that when she’d asked him this morning if she’d kissed the fish.

He’d contemplated being honest with her, but if she didn’t remember, telling her would put her in an inescapably awkward position. The part of Nick’s brain that was used to his lonely existence generated a more disturbing thought, perhaps she didn’t remember because she didn’t want to. Memory was a selective thing, and while alcohol could certainly make someone forget temporarily, when it came down to it, memory was at the will of what you wanted to recall. If Diane still didn’t remember the events of the screech in and afterwards, there had to be a good reason for it. And the only good reason Nick could think of was that she’d chosen not to.

But Nick forgot all about his internal struggle he looked at Diane. The expression on her face was one of pure defeat and she was staring ahead blankly. The sadness in her eyes tugged at his heart. His distress suddenly irrelevant, all he wanted to do was to make her happy again. 

Nick deliberated for a moment, Diane had always seemed the most at ease on their walks together and earlier today that local had suggested that they visit Dover Fault. Perhaps…

 _No more hesitation._ “Diane?” he asked. She looked up blinking as she met his eyes. _God, she’s unbelievably beautiful… Focus, Marson._ “I was wondering if you would like to take a walk,” he said carefully. “Might be nice to get some air, don’t you think?”

Diane nodded her head. “That would be lovely.” The sadness in her expression slightly dimmed as she asked, “do you have anywhere in mind?”

“That local mentioned Dover Fault earlier,” Nick suggested. “Might be worth seeing what she was talking about.”

The small smile he received from Diane in response made his heart flutter. 

Nick and Diane stood up and made their way over to a table of clothes that had been donated by locals. After they both had fetched jackets, Diane also grabbing a scarf and a pair of gloves, they exited Gander Academy.

The walk wasn’t overly long and was filled with the easy silence that was always present on their walks together. Usually, Nick was tempted to fill silent pauses by blabbering some amount of drivel, but that temptation was never present with Diane. Her gentle kindness and inviting sense of humour put him in a state of ease he hadn’t felt in a long time. To be honest, he wasn’t sure if he’d ever felt so comfortable with another person. He didn’t think he’d ever felt that he’d so deeply connected to someone, especially after such a short amount of time.

They reached the stairs leading to the lookout soon enough, Nick suppressing a groan at the idea of climbing them. But since this had been his suggestion, he couldn’t exactly back out now. There was also Diane’s encouraging smile and eyes twinkling with mirth to take into account. And so he climbed, Doctor’s orders of ‘take it easy’ be damned.

What felt like a million stairs later, if Nick’s shortness of breath was anything to judge, they were standing atop Dover Fault. Diane was immediately captivated by the scenery, but Nick’s eyes remained drawn to her. He didn’t realize he hadn’t stepped forward to take in the view until Diane grabbed his hand and tugged him along with her. Her hand was small and cool in his and Nick made a mental note that their hands fit together perfectly. She was pointing towards a plaque on the railing and excitedly explaining something about continents and tectonic plates, but Nick didn’t catch a word of it, his attention completely focused on her hand which was now resting on his shoulder. When Diane’s hand eased from his shoulder, Nick took a moment to observe the view. It was quite beautiful, that was undeniable, but one glance back at Diane and he decided she was more beautiful.

He knew he was staring, but he couldn’t help himself, especially knowing this might be his last chance. And so he stared, memorizing the details of her face; the way her eyes crinkled when she laughed, the way her entire face lit up when she smiled, the exact colour of her hair, her eyes. He only then remembered the disposable camera in his pocket. He pulled it out, framing the perfect shot of Diane looking down upon the lookout, her eyes alight with wonder. The click of the shutter seemed to capture her attention and Diane spun around, her befuddled, yet beautiful, expression now in the center of the frame. She turned to move out of the frame only stilling when Nick told her to stay exactly where she was. Her hands resting on the railing, a tentative smile on her face, the wind tugging at her hair, was exactly the memory Nick wanted to take home with him.

* * *

_The Flight Attendant_

It would take an absolute fool to not notice that two of the passengers on the plane she’d been assigned to — Nick and Diane, she’d learned their names were — were absolutely smitten with one another. They even boarded the plane hand in hand for goodness’ sake.

It was an organizational thing in circumstances like this — not that there had ever been any circumstances quite like this, but any situation where a plane got diverted — to have the passengers sit in their original seats, but Amy just couldn’t find it in herself to enforce the rule. 

She’d spoken to Diane a few times in the breakfast line and from those brief conversations, she’d learned that Diane and Nick had met on the plane. Nick had been trying to escape the drunk passengers in the back and Diane happily offered the spare seat beside her. She learned that Diane was from Dallas and Nick from London and it was only this borrowed time in Gander that allowed them to meet. Diane had adamantly denied any insinuations about she and Nick being a couple or having feelings for one another claiming that even if Amy was right, they would be going their separate ways forever as soon as the plane left Gander.

It was because of this that Amy couldn’t bring herself to separate the two of them before it was truly necessary. “You can sit wherever you like. Just try to fill the back first,” she told them both politely. She smirked at Diane and gave her a knowing look. It was the type of look that said, ‘I know how you feel about him.’ Perhaps some extra time together would allow the two of them to sort themselves out, to kiss, to confess the very obvious feelings they had for each other. Amy knew she was being naively hopeful, but if something good could come from these terrible circumstances, she was glad to propel it forward in any way she could.

Diane gave a momentary stern glare before morphing her expression into a smile and nodding her head in a silent thank you. Amy watched as Nick and Diane hesitantly separated their hands — there wasn’t enough room in the aisle for two people to walk hand in hand — and made their way towards two empty seats near the back of the plane. She watched Diane flex her fingers as if she was not used to the lack of contact before she slid into the window seat. Nick followed and took the aisle seat. Amy smiled to herself, her work here was done for the time being. 

Approximately an hour into the flight, Amy decided handing out hot towels to the passengers would be a good excuse to see if the two lovebirds she’d been trying to play cupid for had worked things out. She made her way up the aisle, using tongs to pass out hot towels to the appreciative passengers.

When she finally reached the pair of seats occupied by Nick and Diane, she could see that her efforts had been very, _very_ successful. They were completely wrapped around each other, pressed as close together as two could manage given the airplane seating arrangement. Things seemed incredibly heated between them. She almost left them be, letting them enjoy their newfound happiness, but Amy couldn’t keep herself from making a small snide comment. She cleared her throat, causing Diane and Nick to spring apart, trying to straighten out their clothing as they returned to rigidly sitting in their seats. Both were blushing scarlet, it was endlessly amusing. “I was handing out hot towels,” she said to them, “but perhaps you two would rather a cold towel.” Amy knew she was smiling salaciously and it amused her even more, to watch the flush on both Nick and Diane’s faces deepen.

“Yes, thank you,” Diane answered, wringing her hands together in her lap. Perhaps it took that much resistance to prevent herself from reaching out for Nick again. Nick too seemed just as affected legs crossed, hands folded together. Amy barely suppressed a cackle before she made her way to the other passengers and continued to dispense hot towels.

* * *

_Diane_

“So you’ll call?”

“As soon as I get back,” Nick said, his tone sincere. Blinking back tears, Diane stood on her tiptoes and leaned up to press a quick, final, kiss to his mouth. She didn’t let it linger, she knew if she did, it would only make their inevitable separation harder.

She remembered the night of the screech in vividly now. Remembered kissing Nick instead of the fish, Nick confessing that he was in love with her, and telling him she loved him back. She couldn’t mention it now and suddenly regretted their decision to not talk more on the plane. They hadn’t discussed the logistics of anything, especially not how to make a relationship work when separated by the entire Atlantic.

Diane felt tears building in her eyes again, but she turned on her heel, walking away from Nick before they threatened to spill. He’d already seen her cry too much, she didn’t want to burden him further. Assuming he felt the same way she did, this had to be hard for him too.

The journey home felt quick, but Diane wondered if that was because her mind was elsewhere. Her perception of time was warped, both from the jet lag and the feeling of sadness — no grief — pulsing through her. She knew it was unreasonable, she’d only just parted from Nick, but the pain of missing him already weighed down on her soul. She wished she’d taken the time on the plane to tell him she remembered what he’d said after the screech in and that she loved him too. 

She only vaguely remembered sitting in the taxi, the driver making conversation in an attempt to be friendly. The driver had turned to her at one point during the ride only to see tears streaming down her face. His expression was apologetic as he passed her a box of tissues. He didn’t try to talk to her beyond that point and for that Diane was grateful. She wasn’t sure she could handle talking anyone at this point, lest she blurt out words of conversation that were meant for Nick and Nick only. He probably hadn’t even caught his flight yet, but he was already so far away. Diane hoped the tip she’d handed the driver when they arrived at her address was enough to convey her appreciation.

Turning her key in the lock was easy enough, so was dragging her suitcase up into her room. She then opened the blinds and windows, to let some air and light into her house that had been shut up longer than expected. Diane knew her suitcase needed to be unpacked, and that her clothes needed to be laundered, but those were tasks for later. Right now, she desperately wanted a cup of tea. Tea had always soothed her jangled nerves in Gander. 

Well, not exactly, drinking a mug of tea and making endless chatter with Nick had always soothed her during her time in Gander.

But she supposed having half the equation would be enough to do the trick. 

Her motions were automatic, filling the kettle with water and setting it on the stove to boil, depositing a teabag inside a mug while she waited for the kettle to whistle, topping off the mug with boiling water, adding 3 cubes of sugar, and swirling the teabag around as the tea steeped. Diane placed the mug on the small circular table in her kitchen, taking a seat. The tea was certainly too hot to drink now, but she was content to stare at its contents, letting the steam rising from the mug curl around her face.

But looking up and being greeted with the realization that the seat opposite her was empty, that only one mug was resting on the table, had a startling effect and before Diane knew it she was crying again. Tears slowly dripped down her face, a few even landing perfectly in the mug, causing some of the hot liquid to splash up onto the table.

A knock on the door startled Diane and she dried her tears then rose from her seat. Perhaps it was David or her sister, she’d neglected to call them upon returning and so it’d make sense if they were worried. Diane swung to the door open ready to greet the figure standing there. Her breath hitched.

“Nick…”

Not able to accept the reality just yet, Diane reached out to press her palm to his chest, exhaling a sigh of relief at the feel of his heartbeat steady beneath her hand. She knew it was possible to hallucinate seeing something, but imagining a touch sensation this vivid seemed beyond Diane’s mental state right now. It really was him then, the only question was… 

“What are you doing here?”

“You didn’t exactly let me say anything before you left the airport and I…” he paused, his eyes scanning Diane’s face.

Oh Lord, she hadn’t even bothered to check her appearance before answering the door. With all the crying she’d done in the last hour she assumed her eyes were red and puffy and her makeup a blotchy mess. Nick’s voice was gentle and concerned. “You’ve been crying.” Not a question, merely an observation.

He didn’t ask why, he was too considerate for that, but Diane felt the sudden need to justify her emotional state. “I missed you,” she answered drawing in a shuddery breath. She only then noticed that Nick was still standing her entranceway and that her hand was still pressed to his chest. The realization that she was being a terrible host evaporated some of her shock. “Come in, please, let me make you a cup of tea.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t want to impose-” Nick responded immediately.

“The kettles already on and I made myself a mug, but…” Diane took another deep breath steadying herself. “It felt wrong to drink it alone.” She hoped Nick understood what she was implying.

“Tea would be wonderful,” Nick replied, a small smile spreading across his face. Diane reached for his hand and the relief she felt at their skin sliding together once again was indescribable. She used her free hand to shut the door behind him and lead Nick into her kitchen.

Diane gestured towards an empty chair and Nick took the seat gratefully. Letting go of his hand was undesirable, but necessary so she could fetch an empty mug and a teabag. The kettle was still hot, so she poured water into his mug and dropped the teabag into it, waiting for its contents to diffuse into the liquid. Diane placed his steaming mug before him and took her seat. She finally took a sip of her tea knowing that it had to be cool enough by now, but found it was a little cooler than desirable. She’d have to make do, she couldn’t be bothered to make herself a fresh mug, the effort of doing so seemed exhausting. She must have made a face or wrinkled her nose or done something to indicate her dissatisfaction because Nick reached for her mug. “Allow me.”

“Oh, that’s not necessary-” Diane began, but before she could complete her sentence, Nick had already dumped the cool liquid into the sink and placed another steaming mug before her. His kindness was almost enough to tip her into tears once more, but she blinked them back. “Thank you,” Diane said.

Nick gave a small smile and nodded.

It felt much more natural to have two mugs on the table instead of one.

“I suppose I should explain why I’m here,” Nick said. Both his hands were cupped around his mug, almost protectively. “You left the airport before I could call my company, to ask when they expected me back.”

That certainly wasn’t what Diane had been expecting, she couldn’t help feeling a little guilty. “Oh,” she said, careful to keep her tone neutral. She wrapped one of her hands around the handle of her mug and rested the other flat on the table as she reflected on his words before a memory popped into her head. “But when we were in Gander you said you were heading back to London immediately.”

Flush crept up Nick’s neck at her comment. “I did, yes,” he said. He removed one of his hands from his mug placed it over hers. The warm weight was soothing, even though the warmth was certainly the product of his mug. “You’ll have to forgive me, but…” He took a deep breath and paused to think, carefully considering his words. Diane was in no rush, Nick’s careful contemplation was one of his most attractive traits. Most people didn’t think before they spoke, his attention to everything he said was almost… refreshing. None of it was a gimmick either, his kindness, his chivalry, his thoughtfulness, it was all genuine. 

It was then that Nick spoke again. “I wasn’t sure I could bear being here…” Another deep breath, his thumb was now sweeping across her knuckles. “With you… if things between us remained strictly platonic.”

“Oh,” Diane repeated, this time she recognized an inflection of surprise in her voice. Nick looked a bit uneasy, enough for Diane to realize that this was an unnatural declaration for him. A rush of affection flooded through her and she wanted to reassure him, so she turned over her hand to curl her fingers into his. “And what exactly did your company say?”

“Well, I told them getting a ticket out of here immediately was almost impossible and…” he blushed, and Diane found it adorable. Nick cleared his throat before he spoke again. “Forgive me, I’m not usually so forthcoming, but I also told them that I met someone.”

Diane’s breath caught, her heart galloping in her chest, she knew that someone had to be her. She took a sip of her tea, hoping the warmth would calm her racing pulse. “My boss then asked me if I knew about a job opening for a position similar to mine here in Dallas. I said I didn’t, but expressed interest, so he set up an interview for 3 days from now. Though, based on the way he was talking it seemed like I already had the job.”

Diane gasped, she didn’t want to assume anything, but it was in her to wonder. She opened her mouth then promptly shut it, deciding it was better to just listen to Nick. 

“Apparently, they’ve been wanting me to transfer to America for quite some time,” he chuckled, his eyes crinkling. “If things end up working out, it would certainly make things easier for us, wouldn’t it?”

She still wasn’t quite sure she was correctly interpreting his words. “Are you saying you’re moving to Dallas?” Diane asked.

Their joined hands which rested on the table were now both stroking each other at a constant rhythm. Diane wasn’t quite sure when she’d started sweeping her thumb against Nick’s knuckles as his hand lay in hers, but considering he was brushing his thumb against the inside of her wrist it couldn’t be unwelcome. “As I said, if things work out, yes,” Nick answered, there was apprehension in his eyes now as if he was silently asking her _would that be okay?_

She hoped the look in her eyes told him that it was more than okay. 

Diane knew her heart was thumping against her ribs, she wondered if Nick could hear it. 

“I remember the screech in,” Diane blurted. It wasn’t at all relevant to their current thread of conversation, but she’d been regretting not telling him earlier, but he was here and now was her chance.

Nick raised an eyebrow. “Do you?”

“I meant what I said,” Diane began, she felt Nick’s hand still and knew she had to elaborate. “So few days in Gander hardly seems like enough time, but when you were gone, the way that made me feel, I realized it had to be true.”

“Oh…” Nick said, the same inflection of surprise in his tone that had been in hers when he’d made his confession earlier.

Diane stood, withdrawing her hand from Nick’s and walking around to the table to where he was sitting. Nick seemed to recognize her action as he too stood up when she reached him. She took a deep breath to steady herself. 

_Just tell him now._

“I love you.”

She scanned his eyes, waiting for some kind of reaction. No immediate confusion or apprehension or anger, which was a relief. It was only because she was studying him so intently that she saw the affection bloom in his eyes. And before she could give a second thought Nick’s hands were cupping her face, and he was kissing her desperately. It didn’t take much for Diane to kiss him back, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him as close as she could manage despite her shaking hands. However long they kissed, Diane didn’t know, all she knew was that she wanted to remember this moment for the rest of her life.

When they finally eased apart, Diane was grinning giddily, their foreheads pressed together. Any more distance between them seemed like too much right now. “I love you, too,” Nick said, the heartfeltness of the statement a little ruined by his breathlessness. His arms still around her, Nick lifted Diane off the ground and twirled them both in a circle. Diane let out a delighted giggle.

When he had set her back on the ground again, Diane knew there was one other question that still nagged at her. She swallowed. “Where are you staying while you’re here in Dallas?”

“I...” Nick blushed. “I don’t exactly have a place lined up, to be honest. After I spoke to my boss, the first thing I felt I needed to do was speak to you.” He reached up a hand to scratch nervously at the back of his neck. “I was in such a rush to get here, to see you, that I didn’t exactly plan ahead.” 

“Stay here,” Diane said without hesitation. She knew it was a little forward, but propriety be damned. She loved Nick, he loved her, and he was here for a week, so they might as well make the most of it.

Nick’s eyes widened in surprise. “Are you sure? I don’t want to impose.”

Diane giggled, his sense of decorum was so very English. “You’re not imposing,” she reassured him. “I can’t think of anything better than you staying here for the week.” _And for the rest of our lives…_ maybe she was getting a bit ahead of herself.

Nick’s return smile was warm and full, his eyes shining with affection. He reached for Diane at the same moment she reached for him and within moments they were kissing again, the world coalescing into a single point, such that all else was irrelevant.

**Author's Note:**

> As always, comments on what you liked are appreciated!


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